Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Lovely wife 222

Chained

"But why?" Cassandra asked. "1-why would they try to hurt me?" This is no longer like the simple scheming that she does with other people in the show business industry.

"I wouldn't know that," her manager said. "However... I am pretty certain that this wasn't a coincidence. They-perhaps even Mr. Horvath himself-must have created this trap."

"Then what should I do now?"

"I-I don't know. However, it is best that you talk to that-whoever it is that told you this idea would work."

Almost immediately, Cassandra's expression changed. She looked at her manager. "You knew?"

"Of course, I would know! I know that someone must have given you the courage to do something like that in exchange for something huge. Look-" her manager sighed. "Just please fix this. I will do my best to support you, but just please. please try to fix what you can fix."

Cassandra's lips trembled. At the end of the day, Olivier actually left her hanging! He was the one who promised her everything, yet now that they announced their engagement...

Cassandra sat down heavily on the couch, her mind swirling. She pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead, willing the pounding in her head to stop.

Olivier and Celeste had been so convincing that night.

She remembered it clearly. It had been a private dinner at an exclusive restaurant. The couple sat across from her. Celeste especially looked so friendly. She had a glass of wine in one hand, her expression calm and steady. She had leaned in slightly, dropping her voice as if sharing a secret too dangerous to say aloud.

"They're already married," she told her. "Liam and Isabella signed the papers months ago. It's a business arrangement. Nothing more."

Cassandra had blinked at her, struggling to process the information.

"They aren't planning to announce it," Celeste continued. "Too many complications. The media would dig into it. Shareholders would ask questions. The timing isn't right for them."

She remembered how she had set his glass down carefully before continuing.

"I know you care about Liam," she said. "I know you have for a long time. That's why I'm coming to you."

Cassandra had swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around her napkin.

Celeste smiled, just slightly. "This is an opportunity. For both of us."

She had explained it so neatly, so logically. If she pushed now-if she created enough doubt-Isabella would be forced to step away. The marriage would be exposed as a fraud. Liam, humiliated and cornered, would need a softer, safer image to clean up the scandal. Cassandra. The woman who stood by him. The woman the public already believed had a connection to him.

"You're beautiful and talented, and you have real public sympathy," Celeste said. "You're the perfect solution."

looked at her like the whole thing was inevitable. Like it was already hers if she

promised her roles. Sponsorships. Media coverage that would bury her rivals. Stocks in a growing entertainment company. Connections she could never

do was help

had to do was

had wanted to believe them. She had liked Liam. She thought-no, she knew-that if Isabella was gone, Liam would see

He had to.

all of it was crashing down around

pulling Isabella into his arms, shielding her in front of the cameras, declaring war on anyone

felt her stomach

Successfully unlocked!

out an arrangement that was set up by Liam and Isabella's grandparents to protect each other's assets and that before this marriage, Isabella was with another man that she loved. They told her Isabella was forced to marry Liam because of

a pile of broken promises and a future slipping through

1/3

Chained

now, they weren't even answering her

with shaky hands. Her last few

had gone unanswered, but Celeste might still pick

opened her contact list and dialed Celeste's number. It rang twice, then went to

teeth and dialed again, more forcefully this

just ignore her,

line clicked, then went

up, pacing back and forth, her heart thudding heavily in her

her breath. "Fine. If they won't talk to

Celeste's number again, ready to dial one more time. Her manager approached from the kitchen, holding out a bottle of water. “Here,” she said. "Drink. You need to calm

her hand and turned back toward

vision blurred. Her hands

her

face tight with something Cassandra couldn't name. "I'm

the floor, her phone slipping from

darkness closed in was her manager kneeling beside her,

Why? Just why?

woke with

light-too bright, almost blinding. She blinked hard, trying to make out

her.

on them. No windows. Only a single bed bolted to the floor.

sit up and